Bailout votes may haunt some politicians

It all looked so easy, just a few months back. Most incumbent candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives from Georgia appeared to be shoo-ins, cruising to all-but-sure re-election. Then came the financial crisis, a divisive rescue plan and a lot of breathless finger pointing by both Democrats and Republicans.

Now only one thing is certain: political battlefield in Georgia has changed. And nothing seems assured as Nov. 4 approaches.

The plan to spend hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money to bail out the financial system uncapped a deep well of anger among voters — possibly unprecedented fear and loathing that political challengers hope to translate into votes. Lawmakers had their phone lines jammed and email boxes stuffed as the rescue plan crept towards passage Friday. Incumbents were assailed for supporting and voting aginst the rescue plan, though most of the vitriol seemed aimed at bailout backers.

Whether you are U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, a Republican incumbent trying for a second term, or Jim Marshall, a Democratic two–term congressman facing a Republican challenger, the recent economic events have clouded the political horizon just five weeks before most Georgians go to the polls.

Both men voted for the bailout, which they said was needed to stave off financial calamity.

Marshall, who is in one of the state’s most competitive congressional races, released a television ad defending his decision.

“I don’t like this rescue plan any better than you do,” Marshall said in the ad. “And I’m not interested in bailing out the irresponsible people who dragged us into this credit mess. But I’m not going to stand by and let this crisis undermine our economy, and damage the financial future of everyone in America — their jobs, their savings, their dreams.”

A few miles up the road in metro Atlanta, Marshall’s fellow Democrat Jim Martin was busy attacking Chambliss for his support of the same “bailout” plan backed by Marshall and Democratic leaders in congress.

“I am disappointed, but not surprised, to see that Saxby Chambliss voted for another typical Washington solution to a very real problem,” Martin said. “It’s classic Saxby Economics - $700 billion for Wall Street, while Georgia families get stuck with the bill. That’s just wrong.”

Chambliss, meanwhile, blamed the “Democratic leadership” for the initial failure of the bill. The Moultrie lawmaker said he does not like the idea of the government intervening in the free market place, but said it is unavoidable in the current crisis.

“You have to worry about the country first,” he said.

Chambliss and Marshall, both veteran politicians, supported the “rescue plan” from the get-go, much to the chagrin of many of their constituents and the delight of their opponents, who believe their political fortunes have suddenly shifted.

“If you’re a Democrat or a Republican, the challengers can beat up the incumbent if they vote for this,” said Charles Bullock, a University of Georgia political scientist. “It gives you the chance to tee off on the incumbent no matter what party they are from.”

Republicans could take the biggest political hit since they control the White House, Bullock said, but Democratic incumbents are far from immune. The Democratic-controlled congress has even lower approval ratings than President Bush, Bullock said.

At least one new poll showed Martin — considered a longshot in the race — closing in on Chambliss’ once-formidable lead. And Democrat Marshall came under a withering attack from his middle-Georgia constituents and Republican challenger Rick Goddard for backing the bailout package.

In Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, Democratic challenger Lt. Col. Bill Gillespie accused Republican U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Savannah) of putting “partisan politics ahed of the people” for opposing the rescue plan. In Georgia’s 10th District, which runs from Augusta north to Rabun County, Democratic challenger Bobby Saxon fired off a letter to Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Broun (R-Athens ) urging him to back the plan.

“This bill is not about Wall Street,” Saxon said the letter, which he distributed to supporters and reporters. “It’s about Main Street.”

During the first bailout vote, only Marshall and Democrat Sanford Bishop (D-Albany) backed the failed House effort. Congressmen David Scott(D-Atlanta) and John Lewis(D-Atlanta) added their votes to help pass the final bill on Friday, but no Georgia House Republicans supported it. Republican U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, who is not up for re-election this year, joined Chambliss in the Senate to back the bill.

Chambliss spokeswoman Michelle Grasso said the senator’s calls and email, which initially were overwhelmingly against the first bailout plan, began to change as that plan failed, the stock market shed more than 700 points and constituents went online to check their shrinking retirement accounts.

“This is not a popularity contest,” Grasso said. “This is the future of our country. You have to have the courage to stand up and do the right thing.”

Incumbents who backed the bill must now wait and see whether voters will reward them for making a tough call in the face of fierce opposition, or fire them for helping Wall Street at the expense of Main Street. Both Chambliss and Marshall know the stakes — and they could not be higher.

“I am willing to give up my seat over this,” Marshall said to House colleagues prior to the first House vote.

It will take a lot of work to explain themselves to unhappy constituents such as Lee and Lindalea Dannelly of Macon. They live in Marshall’s district.

“I don’t like the bailout,”said Dannelly, a certified pest inspector. “If it was, say, me out there making a bad loan, I’d have to take the consequences.”

Lindalea Dannelly said her opinion of Marshall has fallen because of his support for the bailout.

“I listened today to the yeas and nays, and I kept hoping they would defeat it,” she said Friday. “What’s the worst that could have happened if they did?”

Lee Dannelly said he still plans to vote for Marshall, despite the congressman’s support of the bill.

Warner Robins resident Danis Richey won’t.

For Richey, who considers himself an independent voter, the $700 billion bailout plan was the last straw. And voters like him could be bad news for politicians like Chambliss and Marshall. “When I go to the polls, whoever is an incumbent, I’m voting against him,” said Richey, a retired sales manager. ” I don’t care if he’s Republican, Democrat or independent.”